I'll jump in again, personally speaking I would like to see some QRP adventure type post as related to portable qrp ops while camping , hiking, maritime mobile, SOTA etc. with the focus on rigs, jury rigged antennas, make shift repairs, humorous side notes like how I dried out my MFJ Cub in a campfire reflector oven after it went for a swim from my canoe and yes, even successes with contacts.

Making a very niche forum like this is a great idea if you want to focus down and make your own.

Look at what RNO had to say. Now isn't that shallow or superficial BS? He thinks I'm trying to insult him. As if this is all I have to do or I'm some kind of A...H trolling around looking for people to attack. Tell me Arno, just why do you feel I'm trying or actually insulting you? You need to get a grip, man!

I cannot see any logic behind your assumption that I felt insulted. Only projection. What I did feel was the need to point out to you that there are also newbies in this forum, and, speaking for me, this newbie just can't go as deep as you require to be satisfied.

You, on the other hand, and for the second time, revert to name calling toward anybody who doesn't give you what you demand on this forum. So call their contributions superficial BS. What I tried was to explain why I, at this point in my ham career, can only offer what you call superficial BS. And then you call my response superficial BS again, going on to project we'd see you as an A...H trolling around. Sad.

While your underlying question is quite legitimate, I suggest you get a grip and look in the mirror.

Meanwhile back to the topic: As stated I said "SOME qrp adventure type post" simply to add to the general mix of the present forum. A separate "niche forum" as you refer to even if considered(which I doubt) would be very short lived.

Meanwhile back to the topic: As stated I said "SOME qrp adventure type post" simply to add to the general mix of the present forum. A separate "niche forum" as you refer to even if considered(which I doubt) would be very short lived.

I was using it as an example of a good way to differentiate a new forum from the 'old guard'.

The fact is, especially today, niche subjects draw people who want to narrow the subject matter and community down in some way. On that same token, niche businesses often do very well online compared to businesses that generalize, especially if you create a culture around your site/business. (Read the book Tribes by Seth Godin) If a new forum is offering 'more of the same' of what is already out there, it will have to come up with some other draw to get people interested in visiting (and sticking around) over much more established sites. Not impossible, but 'newness' itself isn't a very good draw. Such a site *may* see a surge at launch, then a dwindling as people go back to their established habits and communities.

I'll jump in again, personally speaking I would like to see some QRP adventure type post as related to portable qrp ops while camping , hiking, maritime mobile, SOTA etc. with the focus on rigs, jury rigged antennas, make shift repairs, humorous side notes like how I dried out my MFJ Cub in a campfire reflector oven after it went for a swim from my canoe and yes, even successes with contacts.

JKA: You've brought up some very interesting points and ideas that touches on what I've been trying to say. Why I'm having such a difficult time expressing myself, I have no idea.

Many books have been written on the specialized operating we call QRP. QRP operators and operating is a specialized facet of ham radio that has it's own procedures, equipment and even innovation that many hams never use or even think of. What many hams do and get away with because of their higher power levels cannot be tolerated when using QRP.

It's this type of thing, the innovation, the procedures and the equipment used for QRP operation that I think would be great to share with the QRP community. A great deal of that is done here I know, but seldom in any depth.

Then there is the subject of home-brewing, of which there is a great deal now, that can be discussed. Actually, for all practical purposes, the only kits available now are for QRP operation. Now that eHam has created a method of posting photos, this should be even more interesting.

It seems to me that many QRP operators are "loners" who does their thing, has a great time, and has no way to "show and tell." I thought a daily forum would be great for this.

Perhaps another time...... by another person...... I read somewhere that "there is a season for all things." (Paraphrased)

I don't believe any one here doesn't understand what your saying. The issue seems to be wheather there is a need for another type of separate qrp forum. I don't think there is, we already have it right here. This site just needs some occasional different qrp related input to keep things interesting (especially during SLOW post days) other than the often repetative and mundane topics/post we see every day. As a bonus perhaps some of these personal experience type post as you and others have mentioned might cut down on the routine pissing match/name calling episodes, I think we all understand that what works for one may not be so for others.

I see that this topic is on page 2 now, where few topics on this QRP forum rarely go. Kinda exemplifies my earlier point that if you post an interesting or thought provoking topic, you'll get some intelligent and informative responses like you see here.

How does one start a new Forum? Not a new subject but a new Forum? I read this QRP forum daily, sometimes 2 or 3 times a day, depending on how lazy I am.

Consequently, I've become very familiar with the subjects and questions and frankly, the whole QRP Forum has become nothing more than the same questions asked over and over. To add insult to injury, the QRP Forum has become a place where operators can come to say, "I use this, or I use that" and in most cases has nothing to do with the original question. Surely there is more to QRP operating than asking a question like, "Is the KX3 all it's cracked up to be?"

How about a Forum where QRP operators can come and actually post their experiences with various pieces of QRP gear, kits, antennas, etc., good and bad? Or express an opinion on something that will help or enhance the QRP experience?

Any thoughts from others on this? If you get upset with this post, please go play somewhere else. I think I have a legitimate question here.

I'll be the first to admit that I might be able to phrase or word this question differently but this is one of those days where I can't afford to be "lazy" and have to get busy.

Al - K8AXW

Are you asking for a better organnation of this forum, topisc to post under as reviews, adventure topics, assessores?

RWJ: Your thought does merit consideration but I have no idea how that could be done. The reason for a new QRP forum, separate from this forum would be where ideas, experiences, equipment, etc., could be discussed, perhaps in depth, and this forum would remain the same so that a guy could get on here, ask a question, get answers, and get back to his problem.

This is a poor analogy, I know, but combining two different types of forums into one would be like having an auction in the same room as a board meeting.

As for the 'adventure QRP' where there are usually wilderness, mountains, ocean, deserts or frozen landscape, THAT is what most of my QRP was for me until a few years ago. Those days are gone, but I still have tremendous interest in those who are 'out there' and I willingly set-up skeds as a 'Mother station' for them whenever possible, because > I < know what it is like when the only link with the outside world is that little QRP rig. Even The Adventure Radio Society, which I used to enjoy 15 years ago, has turned into earning "points" and mini-contests from home.

I think that basic problem with getting some quality posts on the subject of Adventure QRP, is that most hams in the USA these days are not adventurous and those who are, are probably on YouTube. (an increasing number with goats... ;^) I hear basically zero 'adventure QRP' here in Virginia FROM the Eastern half of the USA, but do have conversations with hams using manpacks and QRP opns from the Rockies every couple of months. Terrain, population density and local culture controls that.-...-For me, I still QRP, but from home or the occasional short DRIVE to some other place just for fun. However, the QRP basics still apply: antenna, RX filtering, ear phones, enjoying the practice of Morse, antenna and antenna. . .

SUGGESTION: If you do something different, interesting or ADVENTUROUS while using QRP, post it here. Others would likely enjoy it. Or, if you would like to share it as an article, try for the front page where more people might enjoy it. Maybe I should write a few about 'how it was' with QRP in the largest wilderness area in the lower 48 on a great but not overly 'pleasant' trip and how Ham radio was used.

de RayW7ASA ..._ ._

Ps. (Re: earlier post about drying out a radio.) And yes - as a matter of fact I DID have to dry out the internals of a QRP rig (SW4+) with fire due to weather conditions. The PCB was very damp, causing the keying transistor to hover in the analog region (partially ON) when not keyed. I used the stub of a candle from the survival kit on my knife sheath, scooped out a depression in the dirt inside of my one man (1 small man - I'm 6'5") shelter and put the metal case a few inches above resting on the higher ground on each side. After roughly 20 minutes of warming the metal case, it was good as new. ha ha - No - really! Try THAT with a cellphone.

I hear basically zero 'adventure QRP' here in Virginia FROM the Eastern half of the USA,

Look into the Summits on the Air program (SOTA) - rapidly growing, and there are a lot of folks active all across the US, including the east coast on an almost daily basis. Refer to http://sotawatch.org for info on the program. There is an active NASOTA group on Yahoo Groups - not a QRP forum pe se, but most of the folks there are QRPers and regularly hike to mountaintops with small radios for some QRP fun. Last weekend was actually NA SOTA Weekend...here's an excerpt from a summary of the activity as posted in the NASOTA group:

Quote

There were 57 available NA peaks on day one and 27 more on day two, for a total of 84.

So, there is a lot of "Adventure QRP" going on in the US. I don't know what the average number of peaks activated on a weekend in the US is recently, but my guess is over 30. I walked up Big Cedar mountain in NE Georgia myself, and made around 40 QSOs using a 30-ish foot random wire antenna...I was able to QSO with Spain and Germany in EU, as well as a bunch of US contacts on 7 through 24 MHz using 5 watts from the KX3. Lotsa fun!

Thanks very much for the leads. I work some of the SOTA guys in Colorado and Paul, with his PRC-319 manpack & etc. 20m is usually a little for Much of the eastern States into me here in Virginia, but if they're on 40m during the daylight hours, I have a great location with low noise &etc.

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